Nathan Mattingly (1821-1913)
Nathan's parents, John Mattingly Jr. and Ann “Nancy” Magers, were married on July 16, 1820 in the home of John’s parents. Witnessing the ceremony was Rev. James Redmond. Rev. Redmond was the first resident pastor sent to the Cumberland parish. He remained until June 1821. Nathan Mattingly was named for his maternal grandfather, Nathan Magers (1765-1825). The grandfather of Nathan was John “Jack” Mattingly, Sr., a successful farmer who owned land at Arnold’s Settlement, near present-day Mt. Savage, Maryland. In his sixties, Jack rode on horseback from Maryland to Ohio where his uncle William had settled years before. While in Ohio he bought three farms not far from his uncle William. The three farms he gave to three of his sons, John Jr., Joseph and Michael. Among his other sons, Henry was farming in Bedford County, Pennsylvania (later in Preston County, West Virginia); Baptist was living in the town of Cumberland; Francis and Sylvester, the youngest two, remained in Mt. Savage and would inherit their father’s farm. John Mattingly Jr., his wife Nancy, and their children Nathan, Mary Eliza, Ann Teresa, and Ambrose, made the journey to Ohio in 1841. The growing village of Danville had just received its first resident priest in 1839, it being the second Catholic community in the entire state. The pastor was Rev. Jean-Baptiste Lamy, a young, enthusiastic priest whose circuit included Danville, Newark, Mansfield and Mt. Vernon. It is said that he would occasionally ride through Mattingly Settlement during his trips on horseback, and would stay at the home of John Mattingly. Lamy was reassigned in 1847, so this story must have taken place during the family’s first few years in Ohio. It quite possibly was Lamy who introduced Nathan Mattingly and his future bride, Mary Durbin of Danville. This wasn’t the first Mattingly-Durbin marriage in Ohio, however. Lucy Mattingly, daughter of the pioneer William, married George Durbin on January 19, 1841 at St. John Church in Zanesville. George was older brother of Mary Durbin. In addition, at least two of their uncles were living at Mattingly Settlement at this time, James Durbin and Elijah Durbin. Another, Samuel would come shortly. His daughter, Honora Durbin had married Michael Mattingly in 1839 and moved to Mattingly Settlement to start their life together. Perhaps it was Honora who encouraged Nathan in his courtly pursuit of one of “Uncle Ben’s daughters.” Nathan married Mary Durbin on April 26, 1846 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Zanesville, Ohio. Witnesses were Raphael Majors (Nathan’s first cousin) and Mary Eliza Mattingly (Nathan’s sister). Raphael Majors was the son of Nathan Magers, Jr. and Winifred Logsdon. Raphael was thus first cousin to Nathan Mattingly, Raphael’s father and Nathan Mattingly’s mother being siblings. They were also second cousins; Winifred Logsdon’s mother, Margaret Arnold, was sister of Honora (Arnold) Mattingly, Nathan Mattingly’s grandmother. Nathan and his bride were both of the same extended Western Maryland clan. Their closest relation being “second cousins, once removed.” Nathan’s great-grandmother, Honor (Durbin) Mattingly was the sister of John Durbin, Mary’s grandfather. This John Durbin and his wife had moved to Knox County, Ohio by the late 1820s after their seven children were already grown. John died on July 11, 1845 and is buried at St. Luke's Cemetery, Danville, Ohio. At the time of their marriage, Nathan and Mary said a 30-day novena to the Blessed Virgin Mary asking that they would be blessed to always live near a church. Coming from their backgrounds, they knew the difficulty in being isolated from the sacraments. Their faith was great and indeed their prayer was answered. They began their married life in Danville within a short distance of St. Luke’s Church. It was here that four children were born and baptized: Rosalia, Celestine, Agnes Jane, and Aloysius. Rosalia died in 1851, and Agnes in 1854, both being buried at St. Luke’s. Nathan and Mary’s first Christmas together was apparently sent in Danville. Father Lamy, writing to Bishop Purcell of Cincinnati, told of that Christmas, 1846: “The weather was very bad this Christmas and the mud was very deep; nevertheless our little church was as crowded as ever. Many pious Catholics came on foot from a distance of 6, 8, 12 miles. I said the first Mass at five in the morning. About one hundred persons approached the holy Communion on that day, most of them at the first Mass. Our poor little church was as well decorated as we were able. For the illumination we had 150 candles burning sperm altar candles.” '' Also in the letter, Father Lamy spoke of an addition to be started in spring, and a steeple and bell tower to be added soon. The Blessed Mother continued to intercede for this family through the decades. Meanwhile, back at Mattingly Settlement, Nathan’s family was preparing to build their long-awaited church. It was at this time that Nathan and Mary moved to Mattingly Settlement, where they moved into the old Beale Owings homestead, located on the John Mattingly farm, down the hill from the new church. Beale Owings (1784-1849) had owned the land originally before selling to John Mattingly. Owings was a blacksmith who opened his shop in 1815. Whether his shop was on that land or not, is unknown. Maybe we’ll find some remnants of this shop someday under the fields. For the next sixty years, Nathan and Mary Mattingly would call this place home. The old Owings place was probably a stone house. Its foundations can still be found slightly northeast of the current house, just over the fence. Family tradition says that the house was struck by lightning and burned down. While a new house was being built, the women stayed with relatives. The men may have slept in the barn. The barn was built in the 1850s. How long it took for the house to be built is not known, but it must’ve been a long process. The date found written in the basement is 1881. Children |- |colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |'Children of Nathan Mattingly and Mary Durbin''' References * Category:Born in Allegany County, Maryland Category:Married in ... Category:Died in Muskingum County, Ohio Category:Non-SMW people articles